n immense thatched building, which
was the native church. On entering, we were politely shown places, and I
was fortunate in getting a seat immediately fronting the preacher, and
facing the congregation. There were, at the lowest, a thousand present,
ranged on plain wooden benches, all over the vast earth floor of the
meeting-house, and crowds more were pouring in from the different
doorways: ancient matrons, in dazzling calico frocks, cut very high in
the neck, and very low at the heels, unconfined by belt or bodice,
wearing coal-scuttle bonnets--sometimes two--toppling very much in
front--giving a general idea of having been put on wrong end foremost:
young damsels attired in gaily-colored shawls and ribbons, their nether
limbs encased in a superabundance of hose, and strong brogan shoes:
venerable, gentlemanly _kanakas_, in tightly-fitting trousers,
unconscionably short-waisted coats, with swallow-tails: others again
saved from appearing in _puris naturalibis_ by the aid of a _tappa_, or
flimsy shirt, about the loins. But they were a sober, orderly
congregation, and with the exception of a little restlessness amid the
juveniles, all listened with marked attention to the discourse of their
pastor.

The Reverend Mr. Cohen preached to them, and seemed to adapt the sermon
to their comprehension; occasionally, however, interrupted by some
elderly person, when any obscure passage was not rendered sufficiently
clear, whereupon an explanation always followed, in the most urbane,
kindly manner.

The dialect is exquisitely soft and vowelly; and then the frequent
repetition of many words, from the want of copiousness, renders it
susceptible of being delivered with the most inconceivable rapidity. We
had singing at intervals during service by some fifty youths from the
Reverend Mr. Lyman's school. I judged it rather discordant, and although
the voices were not harsh, nor unmusical, there was yet neither taste
nor harmony in their efforts. After church, we visited the comfortable,
pleasant residences of the missionaries--they were surrounded by
well-cultivated gardens of taro, vegetables, and fruits. The inmates we
found pious, sensible, and excellent persons, who had devoted many years
among their heathen neighbors in philanthropic diffusions of the Gospel.

We had but a day or two to ramble about the village before an expedition
was planned to visit the volcano of Kilauea. We were indebted to the
good offices of Mr. Pitman f